Not Gonna Beg
by Word Bender
Summary: Zuko has finally caught up with the avatar, but upon stealing into his camp one night finds that he is not there! Furious, Zuko captures Katara instead, hoping to get information from his prisoner, along with stringing the avatar along to Fire Nation. Set
1. Abduction

-Hello all, I'm back and obsessed with another anime! This time I've fallen for Avatar; the Last Airbender. Zuko is just so kawaii when he's mad . . .

Anyway, I got this idea when I decided once and for all that Katara has waaay to many faux boyfriends. That time with Jet, those long walks with Haru, that infernal pseudo-crush on Aang (He's to young for you, let it go,)

ANYWAY I officially declared myself a Zuko x Katara fan, then, lo and behold, I come back to my ancient refuge and find. . . .Zutara! Wow. It was incredible. So, here we go with my first every AVTLA fic. . . ((Insert Clever Title Here)), read and don't forget that little mauve-colored button on the bottom of this page. Reviews are appreciated.

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**Abduction**

The black ship glided silently into the small cove. A boy, almost a man, was standing at the helm of the shadowed ship overseeing its progress from his vantage point. He was dressed in armor, unusual for him, as it was nearly midnight.

Suddenly the figure nodded and turned, making his way into the interior of the craft. A few minutes later, the ship crunched up onto the shore, making minimal noise, as instructed. A gangplank was lowered to the water's edge and the boy walked down, stepping onto the shoreline.

He scowled, his features twisted in aversion to the water lapping at his ankles. He hated getting wet. Continuing on, the boy was accompanied only by a few other soldiers, all dressed in similar armor. The boy walked swiftly but carefully, flitting in between trees, alert and watchful, wary to make a single sound.

He stopped and then continued on, slightly impatient with himself. Hours of meditating had done nothing to improve his breath control, or so it seemed if only because he could not seem to get enough air into his body. The boy paused behind a tree and motioned for his soldiers to stop with a hand gesture.

There, in the clearing, where the three people he had been chasing. The boy almost smiled for the first time in nearly two years, then stopped abruptly. There where only two in the clearing, the two water tribe rejects that where traveling with the one who could restore his honor.

The boy narrowed his eyes and snarled. The young savior was nowhere to be found, probably out for a nighttime stroll, or in his case, fly. The armor clad boy clenched his fists and thought. His eyes lit up and he quickly made his way over to the soldiers who had followed him, all waiting a few paces behind him.

He talked to them for a few minutes, then after the masked soldiers nodded in assent went and waited and watched from his post back at the tree. He watched as his men took the girl, still inside her sleeping bag and carried her between them. He watched as they boarded their ship with no signs of alarm from the camp. He watched as the men gently laid the girl in a cell and quietly shackled her to the wall farthest from the door. He watched as the entrance shut. He watched as the girl slept on and then he watched as the ship pulled out of the tiny inlet.

Then he stopped watching and went into his rooms to meditate on his next plan.

And the girl slept on.

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It's a short chappy, I know, but they'll get longer I swear. . . .Or I at least hope they'll get longer. The next chappy will be up by either Saturday or Sunday, so just be patient with me, mkay Luvs? Till later

Heart Bender


	2. Beast!

Guess what! I looked at my reviews this morning and I have six. Six! That's incredible! I mean, for a slightly less than popular show like AVTLA it's in'freakin'credible! And 148 hits! - I'm so happy. Anyway. . . .If you have any ideas for the title, tell me, I don't really like the one I have up. Understand. This is BEFORE episode 16 - The deserter. Meaning that Katra does not know she can heal stuff, Zuko's ship has not been blown up by the pirates, Aang knows squat about firebending and Sokka isn't in love with Yue. He's still mooning over Suki. Remember that now.

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**Beast!**

Katara woke up slowly, her azure eyes slowly making her way around the sparse cell she was in. She looked down and saw chains at her ankles and more on her wrists. She pulled at the bonds lightly, testing them. Even though somewhat rusted they where still very strong, giving Katara barely enough room to move her arms.

The girl tried to reach her ankle chains but found that her bonds kept her back. Katara snarled and stood up, glad at least for the small slack allowed for her legs. She concentrated and tried to bend the water she carried in her water bag, but soon realized that the chains, once again, kept her back.

Katara frowned, the creases in her forehead deepening, and pulled at her chains again, knowing that she would not be able to escape. She scowled at the manacles that continued to resist her efforts to escape. The girl heaved her body against the chains, putting herself at an unnatural angle in order to break free of her manacles.

The water bender contorted her face yet again and clenched her fists, ignoring the pain of the iron that bit into her wrists and ankles, even through her clothing. A cry ripped through her throat as a shackle drew blood along the tender flesh along her right forearm. She quietly dropped to the ground, tears building up in her eyes. She glared at the soldiers watching her from outside, laughing at her.

"Leave me alone!" she yelled, her arms supported by the restraints. Katara's shoulders where hunched up, her arms hanging from the chains. The irons barely gave her enough room to sit down. She wasn't allowed enough slack from the fetters to move her left hand to stop the blood flow, so she had to kneel there, in the bare cell, all alone, with blood slowly trickling down her arm.

She suddenly stood up, the iron chains chinking together. 'I won't let this beat me,' she thought. 'I will prove to this spoiled prince he cannot break me!' Katara grimaced as the wound throbbed.

"Zuko, you beast!" she shrieked, her eyes still bright from unshed tears. "Let me go you spoiled brat! ZUKO!"

The last word reverberated and bounced of the empty walls of the corridor, filling the space with Katara's anguish and pain.

Upstairs in the Prince's quarters Zuko cracked an eye open and looked at Uncle Iroh.

"Did you hear something uncle?"

The slightly overweight firebender glanced up from his Pai Sho game to gaze at his nephew. "I do not think so Prince Zuko." he said returning his concentration to the board game. The man moved a Lotus Tile two steps forward. "Although, our prisoner has been awfully unobtrusive, tell me nephew." he said, not looking up from his game, "How long will she stay here?"

Zuko stood up from his meditation pose and brushed his armor off, just in case a soldier should see him with a spec of dirt on his uniform. He did not ask how Iroh had known about the girl. The old firebender was very perceptive.

"Until I see fit." he answered, walking out of the room.

Iroh shook his head and sipped some of his ginseng tea. "So impatient." he muttered. The other man, Yurit sat across from Iroh. As the general was talking the other man suddenly smiled and moved a Wheel Tile three spaces to the left.

"Trapped General. I believe I win again!" Yurit said an impish look on his face. The fat general spat out his tea and leaned forward, disbelief etched onto his face. He looked up and smiled.

"Best six out of thirteen?"

The prince strode down into the base of his ship, a hard mask on his face. He stopped a few steps away from Katara's cell, looking at the guards standing there. He nodded a curt dismissal and walked the few steps to the water benders door. He reached to his waistline for the keys when he heard a shout from inside the room.

"Zuko, you beast!" the girl cried, "You spoiled Prince. Zuko! Let me go!"

"I will not."

Katara gasped as the prince of the fire nation pushed open the door and walked into her cell, almost as if her shout had summoned him there. Zuko looked over the girl, noting the nearly dried blood on her arm. He frowned slightly then shook his head, returning his gaze to the defiant girls face.

"I will not." Zuko repeated, stepping farther into the cell "I will not let you go, I will not be spoken to like that, and I will not let you or anyone else stand in my way."

Katara slumped against the wall, a picture of weakness. "What do you want from me anyway?" she muttered, her head slumping to one side.

Zuko took another step forward. "I want to know where the avatar is." he stated. Katara looked at Zuko, right now about three feet away from her. The girl was slightly put off guard at how impassive the prince looked, his yellow eyes locked onto hers. Katara's own eyes widened in fear and she realized she couldn't talk. She licked her lips and then attempted to answer.

"Wasn't he with us?" she asked, her voice quaking slightly. "Aang was traveling with us, we were helping him. I don't know where he is if not with Appa and Sokka." Katara turned her head away, not wanting to hear his response.

Zuko frowned. The girl looked afraid of him, as if she expected him more likely to kill her with every passing second. The instinct to tell her otherwise was cut short by his longing to find the avatar. "So he was with you." he said. He took a step forward. "Who are Appa and Sokka?" asked Zuko. "The water tribe boy and who else?"

Katara slumped to the floor, the gash in her wrist reopening and causing blood to seep down her black armguards. "Sokka is my brother," the girl muttered. "And Appa is the bison." she laughed a little. "You've already seen them so there's no point in not telling you their names." Katara sighed and then looked at the prince, her eyes wide. "Are you going to kill me now?" she asked.

Zuko took a few steps toward the girl, a frown still etched onto his features. He knelt down on one knee and took the keys out of the loop that attached it to his waist. "No." he said flatly. "But I will get this cleaned up." he continued, finding the correct key and unlocking the manacle that held Katara's right hand. After being released her arm fell to the ground, caught at the last second by the prince.

"I don't want you to get an infection." Zuko said, slipping off the armguard. He looked at the wound and frowned. The cut was deep and the blood wasn't clotting properly, having been reopened once before. The prince laid Katara's arm in her lap and stood up, noting that the girl had watched him closely the entire time. "I'm going to get a healer," he explained, walking toward the door of the cell. "Try not to move your arm; it'll just make it worse." Zuko exited the cell, closing it but leaving it unlocked.

As soon as the boy left Katara stood up and tried to water bend again, this time succeeding. Water flowed out of the water bag she had at her waist. She quickly bended the water into an icicle and aimed it at her other wrist. She could perform small bending with one hand, but for the thing she had in mind Katara would need both her arms free.

Zuko had been gone for scarcely two minutes when he felt the boat heave to one side, as if a tidal wave had come up. He rushed onto deck and saw that indeed huge tidal waves were swamping the boat. The prince frowned and then began to make his way slowly to the captain's helm. He suddenly stopped and stared at the sea. The waves were coming from both sides!

The boy snarled and raced downstairs, running into the open the cell, his face furious. Katara was moving her arms in motion to the waves, keeping perfect balance despite the motion of the boat. She raised her arms and a giant wave crashed against the side of the ship, Zuko was slammed against the side of the cell, his armor dulling, but not deadening, the pain.

"Stop!" he yelled at the girl, only a few feet away from him. As the boat steadied slightly and Katara prepared to launch another wave, Zuko leaped up and pinned the girl's arms to her sides. Her eyes opened and she glared at Zuko, beginning to struggle.

"Let me go!" she cried, breathing hard, some of her hair coming loose. Zuko looked her straight in her eyes, his face furious.

"I try and help you; I try and do something nice for you! Then you attempt to drown me and turn over my ship!" he yelled, straight into Katara's face, his hands still on her arms, gripping her hard. "I trusted you! Even if it was just to be alone for a few minutes while I got someone to help your cut, I TRUSTED YOU!"

Katara stopped struggling and stared at Zuko, her face confused and searching. She dropped to the floor as soon as the prince let go of her and cradled her wrist to her chest, leaving some blood smeared on her tunic.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, barely loud enough for the prince to hear. "I'm sorry," she repeated. "I won't do it again, I'm sorry." Katara's eyes began to water but she quickly wiped them away and sat quietly, staring at her exposed wrist.

Zuko focused and controlled his anger; the only sign of his rage was a short fire burst out of his mouth. He kneeled down again and put a hand on Katara's shoulder. "Alright, listen." he said, in a commanding voice. "I'm going to try this again. I'm going to the crews' quarters and try to find you a healer. Just do me a favor and don't move. If something like this ever, I mean, ever, happens again." He paused and used his free hand to tilt Katara's head so that her eyes were level with his. "These accommodations will look like a palace compared to the place I will put you." he said.

The girl wrenched her eyes away and nodded. Zuko stood up and made his way out, once again not locking the door. He quickly located a healer and brought him down to Katara's cell. He watched, leaning against the cell's doorway, as the bandages where expertly tied around the girls wrist. When that was done, the healer gave the water bender a few choice words of advice.

"No more bending until that heals, don't try and move it to much either, it's pretty deep and you could get a serious infection." The healer got to his feet and bowed to Zuko, leaving the cell. He stopped in the corridor and whispered to Zuko. "You should really take those chains of her, they really are quite dangerous." Zuko shook his head at the man, indicating that now was not the time.

Zuko sighed and stepped forward into the small room, a few feet away from Katara. "Have we learned our lesson?" he asked softly, a hint of malice in his voice. The girl on the floor nodded and then looked up at the prince, her eyes hard. "Why did you take me?" she asked.

Zuko rolled his eyes. "You have already asked that and I've already told you, I need to find the avatar." he said. "If I had thought you simple I would not have bothered."

The girl's eyes hardened even more. "Then it's a good thing I'm not stupid, isn't it?" she said. Katara continued staring at the prince, her gaze steely. "You said last time that you wanted to know where the avatar was but this time you said you needed to know." the girl declared. "Which is it then? Do you need to know or is this just some brainless hobby to pass the time?"

Zuko glared at the girl. "I need to find the avatar." he said. "There is no 'want' about it." he looked away from the girl, ashamed. "My throne, my family, my honor." Zuko said slowly. "I'm about to lose it all."

Katara let a flash of pity show on her face. What had happened to this boy to make him so determined?

The prince turned back to Katara. "Where were you heading? The avatar must already know air and earth bending, he passed through nearly all the cities in the Earth Nation." he paused and then continued. "The South Pole is deprived and desolate, no one of any bending consequence lives there." He nodded and sat in front of Katara. "He is heading to the North Pole."

Katara's eyes widened. Aang hadn't learned earth bending! He should have, Zuko made a fair point. What really amazed the girl was how well Zuko could put everything together. She gasped slightly as the boy sat down in the seiza 'correct sit' position in front of her.

"Why can't you just let it go?" she asked Zuko. "Aang is supposed to save the world, he's supposed to help everyone. Wouldn't it be better to give up this little vendetta with Zhou and let well enough alone? "

Zuko snorted and clenched his fists. "If only it were that simple." The boy paused and then continued, "You don't understand," he muttered. "My father, Fire Lord Ozai, has banished me. Until I find the avatar I have no privilege, no distinction, even though my birth entitles me to such. I am an outcast, an exile." The boy sighed and looked up from his lap.

"Do you know what it's like?" he asked. "To have a father you love, then to have a king who hates you?" Zuko's eyes where locked onto Katara's.

The girl searched his face, looking for signs of deceit. She shook her head slowly, hoping that Zuko would go on. No such luck, the prince rose from the floor and made to exit before Katara's voice called him back.

"Wait!" Katara pleaded, having risen from the floor. "If Ozai is your father, aren't you like him?" she asked, her face creased in a frown. "Ozai is a murderer, attacking and killing innocent people for his own gain, what makes you so sure you won't end up like him?"

Zuko's face remained an inexpressive mask. He stood there, his fingers resting lightly on the handle. Standing there, he answered Katara, not looking at her.

"Ozai may be my father," Zuko said, carefully and without pause, turning to pierce the girl with his harsh gaze. "But I am not his son. I refuse to become what he is." The prince turned to the girl, anguish on his features. He started to say something and then shook his head, stepping out of the cell.

He lingered at the entrance before closing the door, watching Katara's confused face. "I'll come down tomorrow," he began. "Don't worry if you're hungry I'll remind the kitchens to send you some food."

The prince then left the small room, locking the door behind him. He went up into his chambers and fell onto his bed, staring at the dragon painting on his wall. Why had he said all those things to that girl? What was he thinking? Zuko groaned and turned over, pulling a pillow over his head. The young prince then began to doze off. Maybe this time he would be able to take a nap without being interrupted.

Below Zuko's chambers Katara was still standing, staring at the door that Zuko had left by. "He is so strange." she muttered. "Hey!" the girl exclaimed, looking at her arms, raising them up to inspect the wound on her wrist. "He didn't lock me up again."

Katara smiled and dropped her arms back to her sides, slipping down the wall. "Maybe he isn't such a beast after all."

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Yep. That's the end of chapter 2! Huzzah for Heart Bender! I put this up on Sunday . . . So we will see how long it takes to appear on Oh - - - Here's another funny pic, also not done by me. http/img377.imageshack.us/img377/4205/booter147vd.gif

Yep so push the lavenderish colored button down at the bottom and review. Till later

Heart Bender.


	3. Clever

((Sighs)) Only six reviews out of 502 hits . . . . Oh well. I'll get over it. Anyway. I edited the 2nd chap. So yeah. No big changes just spelling and grammar. This one is going to be starring (along with Zuko and Katara of course) Sokka and Aang.

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**Clever **

Sokka yawned and turned over in his sleep. "Hmm. I love you too Suki. . "He muttered. "Yes, I think you look gorgeous in that dress." The dreaming boy reached out and enveloped his imaginary girlfriend in a hug. "Of course I'll marry you Suki!"

"Sokka! You're crushing me!"

The sound of Aang's voice snapped the water tribe boy out of his dream. "Aang?" Sokka asked groggily. "Where's Suki?" Well, maybe not entirely out of his dream.

"There's no time for that Sokka!" Aang said worry in his voice. "Katara is missing!" he continued, distressed.

Sokka immediately sat up and looked around quickly, noticing that Katara's sleeping bag was gone. If anything happened to his sister he would never forgive himself. "How long has she been gone?" he asked. "I need to know!"

Aang stood up and looked around, noting the sky. "I came here just as the sun rose." he said to the older boy, now efficiently rolling up his sleeping bag and securing his boomerang. Sokka tossed his rolled up bag into Appa's saddle and then began to examine the ground around where Katara had been sleeping. He waved Aang to come to him.

"Look," Sokka said as Aang walked over. "Foot prints." The water tribe boy bent down and inspected the tracks more thoroughly. He frowned and raised himself up. "Fire Nation soldiers." he said darkly, "I'm sure of it."

Aang looked stricken as Sokka continued. "Where did they take her?" he exclaimed, confused "Why would they take her?" Sokka ignored him, having already traced the prints.

"They came from this direction." he said, walking over to the tree that Zuko had hid behind. "Someone stood here, probably the leader." The water tribe boy nodded and continued his tirade. "They carried her over here; see how the prints are a little deeper?" Sokka walked on, his head bent to the ground. "I was right, Fire Nation."

Aang looked at where Sokka had stopped, right at the edge of a small inlet. He glanced down and noticed the deep marks of steel in the sand, probably a gangplank from the ship to the shore. Sokka looked out onto the small bay and turned to Aang, his face serious. "Fly up there and see if you can find a Fire Nation ship, they might not have gotten far."

The boy nodded, his face in a frown, and snapped open his glider, backing up a few steps and running in order to gain liftoff. Aang bended the air around him and glided slowly up, searching for the tell tale black smoke of the Fire Nation liners. Sighing, defeat lining his face he came back down to earth beside Sokka.

"I couldn't find anything." he said sadly. The air benders eyes downcast. Sokka looked at him then stared back out toward the sea. "At least we know who did it." he said slowly and carefully. "Zuko, the exiled prince of the Fire Nation."

Aang looked surprised. "How do you know that Sokka?" he asked, "It could've been Zhou or any other Fire Nation officer. What makes you so sure-"

"It's Zuko." The elder boy stated flatly, "Think about it Aang, if Zhou had come across us he would have just burned us to a crisp and then left, no this isn't Zhou's style at all. The commander goes for big and flashy, something that says 'I was here, look at me!'… . " Sokka paused. "That probably holds true for any other officer in the Fire nation also. Zuko, however, is very clever, and I hate to admit it." he said, seeing the confusion again on Aang's face. "But he is. This is completely like him."

Aang sighed and sat down. "What can we do?" he asked. "We don't know where he's going and we don't know why he took Katara." He looked at Sokka.

The water tribe boy stared at Aang with a hard look in his eyes. "I don't care." he declared. "I'm going to find my sister, no matter what it takes." Sokka said, turning around on his heel and heading back into the camp. "You coming or not?" he called over his shoulder. "

Aang stood up and ran after Sokka. "You bet I am!" he yelled, jumping on to Appa's back and waiting for the other boy to catch up. "Yip yip!"

And off they went.

((Now we skip ahead . . . To about morning of the next day. So the timeline for the two story lines S+A are on the morning Katara was captured. K+Z are on the morning after Katara was captured. Everybody square?))

Katara drank back the last of the thin cabbage soup and set the bowl down, wiping the back of her hand across her mouth. She sighed and leaned against the strong metal wall of her cell, her legs stretched out in front of her, crossed at the ankles.

Looking around her, she wondered when Zuko would come, just to break the monotony of the jail. She sighed and slid further down the wall, her hands crossed lightly in front of her stomach.  
She suddenly stood up and pulled her chains to their fullest extent, listening out into the corridor. The guards hadn't come back since Zuko dismissed them the other day, giving her a small amount of privacy. Katara shook her head and stretched out the rest of her body, making sure she wouldn't get cramps the instant she tried to walk normally.

Upstairs the prince and his uncle where enjoying morning breakfast and tea. As Zuko sipped his hot drink he thought of Katara down in the cells, cold and probably hungry. An image flashed in his mind of the girl huddling in a corner shivering and shaking.

After a few minutes of this taunting image the prince snarled and stood up, marching out of the room, grabbing a cloak on the way out.

Iroh glanced up from his tea. "So impatient."

Zuko suddenly came back into the chamber and grabbed the teapot and two cups from the table and Iroh's hand. "Hey!" The general complained as his cup was snatched away from him. "I was drinking that Zuko!"

"Sorry Uncle." The prince muttered, already halfway down the hall. He arrived down at the cells and looked at his hands. He frowned. So much for the dignified entrance.

Katara looked up from her stretches as the door opened and Zuko glared at her from the other side. He bent down and picked up something Katara could not see. She instantly became suspicious and stared at the prince. When she saw that it was only a teapot and cups she smiled and sat down.

Zuko placed the pot and cups in front of the girl, exiting to get the cloak he had left outside. He sat down across from the girl and poured himself a cup of tea.

"It's not poisoned." he muttered, indicating that she should serve herself.

Katara blushed slightly and tipped the pot over, pouring the hot tea into her cup. She raised the cup to her lips and inhaled deeply, her eyes on the drink. Taking a small sip she smiled at the boy in front of her.

"It's good!" she exclaimed, taking another small taste.

Zuko raised an eyebrow and resisted the urge to roll his eyes. He was a prince after all, exiled, but still a prince; did she expect him to just drink anything? He took a few swallows of his own drink, and examined the girl in front of him.

He hadn't noticed it before but she was really pretty. Zuko suddenly realized he didn't even know the girl's name. The prince frowned a little and drank his tea, waiting for Katara to finish. As the girl lowered her arms down toward her lap Zuko looked up and suddenly asked, "What's your name anyway?"

Katara looked up at the prince. "Katara." she glanced down at her lap and then raised her eye's to meet Zuko's again. "When are you going to get rid of me?" she asked frowning slightly. "I know you said that I was going to help you find the avatar but why not know? Why are we still going," she paused slightly, "Wherever it is we're going."

The prince set his tea down and rested his hand under his chin. "I suppose I should tell you after all, seeing as you are the center point of this entire plan." He looked at Katara and continued. "Say instead of you I had the avatar on my ship. So here I am heading back to the Fire nation to deliver the boy to my father." he said pointing to his teacup as if it was his ship.

"So I'm sailing along and suddenly Zhou catches wind that I have the avatar. He immediately comes over and 'whoom!'Attacks, steals the avatar, and there goes me all up in smoke." Zuko demonstrated with a short fire burst from his hand, causing Katara to flinch and a small wall of mist to rise from his cup. He raised an eyebrow at the girl's reaction, but continued anyway. "But if I have you on board. . ." he paused, toying with the rim of his tea cup. "Zhou won't really care; he doesn't know that you and your brother are traveling with the avatar."

Katara frowned at the firebender. "So you're saying I'm sort of an insurance that you can safely 'deliver'," she almost spat out the word, "Aang to your dad?"

Zuko glanced up at the girl. "Whoa, you catch on quick." he said, actually rolling his eyes, and returning his eyes to his tea. The prince picked up his cup and refilled it again, sipping at it slowly.

The girls face was still slightly creased. "What if Zhou captures your ship and sees me? You said he won't care but what if he does?" her face suddenly paled. "What if he takes me with him?" she asked, her voice shaking slightly.

Zuko stared into her eyes, looking at her squarely. "First off, Zhou won't capture my ship as long as I don't have the avatar on board. All that he knows is that the avatar is still out there and evading both our grasps. He has spies on my ship, but fair few souls know that you are even on board, fewer still know why you're on board. Not to mention that the choice soldiers I picked out for the mission are loyal to me."

The boy took another sip of tea and continued. "If, in the unlikely event, Zhou and I meet up somewhere on the way to the Fire Nation I will make sure that a soldier unlocks you from your cell and escorts you to my room where you will be instructed to wait until further notice." Zuko blushed slightly, thinking of what he had to say as his excuse for having the girl on board. Think about it a little more his face then reddened even deeper. 'Oh well,' he thought, 'I need to practice lying about her sometime. It might as well be to her face.'

Katara had followed Zuko's explanation thus far, impressed despite herself at how well thought out his plan was. She was leaning forward, interested to hear more when she realized that the prince was . . . . Blushing?

Zuko coughed and made himself look at Katara's confused face. "If Zhou suddenly has the urge to inspect my ship he will see nothing of consequence." he paused. 'Here goes.' "And when Zhou comes to search my rooms he will only see a pretty girl. He will assume that since I'm always out hunting for the avatar . . . And that I'm sixteen after all . . . That you are . . ." he stopped and stared at his tea, painfully aware of the flush on his cheeks.

The girls eyes widened and she blushed in turn. "Oh."

Outside the door a snort could be heard. Zuko immediately got up and strode out the door, only to see his uncle nearly doubled up in silent laughter. The old general put a hand out to steady himself against the side of the wall.

"That was incredible Zuko." he said, still chuckling. "Your eloquence is unmatched."

Zuko narrowed his eyes, "Shut up! You think of a better way to throw Zhou off!"

Iroh shook his head, "I'm not saying it's a bad idea." he said, still doubled over, taking deep breaths. "It's just the way you put it!" he sniggered, his laughter coming out in huge bursts, "And your face, nephew!"

The prince eyes narrowed further, flashing a dangerous shade of red. A burst of fire issued from his mouth as he passed by Iroh, leaving the Dragon of the West alone in the corridor. After a few minutes Iroh calmed himself and entered the cell, still laughing quietly.

Katara looked up as the firebender entered. She put down her cup and watched him, not making any noise. Iroh bent down and scooped up his tea supplies, careful not to spill anything.

"Excuse me," he said, bowing and exiting the room, "But I was getting thirsty." The girl smiled a little as the firebender left, closing the door and wobbling down the hall. She shook her head and looked at the cloak Zuko had brought in with him.

She picked it up and examined it, holding it up to the small lantern, located in the two corners farthest away from her. It was intricately woven and very thick. She smiled and then laughed, remembering the look on Zuko's face. Katara sat back and covered her legs with the cloak, thinking about how to pass the time, at least until Zuko's next visit.

Outside the door, Iroh smiled and headed upstairs, his arms full of tea supplies. 'That girl has a very pretty laugh . . .' he thought. 'Maybe this trip will be good for my nephew. . . .'

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All right, that's it. Sorry. In response to some of my reviewers - 

Dracori - Thanks, hope you enjoy these chapters too.

Crazysheelf - Thanks.

Patience - I'll have some fun making Zuko pester Katara, or will it be the other way around. . food for thought

Azul-lunar - Updating!

Marin - Am I updating soon enough?

Kimono - I think I'm keeping Zuko pretty well I.C. I'll try harder though.

Kikyo - Allrighty then. I'm actually working on the next chapter.

Zuko - nice review. . . . -

Vicki - Aangs in this chappy! Link to the coolie-o pic at the bottom.

Oswari - Whoot! Updating!

Another Link to an interesting picky - http/ it made me laugh . . . . . And don't forget to review!

Heart Bender.

P.s. - Vote! Are Zuko and Katara I.C? ((Can be for both or either!))


	4. Dare

So I look at my stats and I realize no ones getting much past the first chapter. Oh well, to the readers who actually look at the 2nd chappy, I love y'all! Anyway this is the fourth chap, slightly influenced by your reviews but still following the small thing called a plot that I have in my demented head. Anywho. Enjoy.

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Dare

Katara scratched at her bandages on her right wrist. It had been two days since Zuko last came to see her and three days since the healer had covered up her cut.

She sighed and leaned against the wall, holding her right hand. Wiggling around in order to make herself comfortable she realized how dirty the cell was. Katara looked at her hands, a dark brown even through her tanned skin.

The girl wrinkled up her nose. "Darn it." she muttered, frowning. She shook her head and took a deep breath, 'There's no use putting it off.' she thought, just as her afternoon meal (cabbage soup) came skidding into her cell.

"Excuse me," she said to the kitchen boy who had brought down her meal. Katara stood up and brushed herself off, then returned her attention to the boy outside her cell. "I'm sorry, but can I have a tub of water? And some towels? I need to take a bath."

Zuko was out on the ships deck, Iroh watching not far behind him. Concentrating his energy, Zuko began to pound out an intricate _kata, _a series of martial arts movements including kicks, punches and defensive maneuvers, all to most using firebending. The general watched the prince carefully, noting the areas where he could improve.

He nodded as the prince's exercise came to a close and then walked up to the winded boy.

"Not bad nephew," he said, "But you need to add more power behind your defenses, you act almost as if you cannot be touched while you are attacking."

"Sorry uncle," Zuko said, accepting a towel from a nearby soldier. He was wearing his training clothes, a dark red tunic, slightly open at the collar, along with baggy pants and black boots, all of which made for comfort rather than style.

The young firebender returned to the center of the deck again, placing himself into the ready position. He toke a deep breath and was just about to start the _kata_ again when a boy came out on deck, effectively spoiling his concentration.

"Prince Zuko!" the boy yelled out, "Prince Zuko!" The boy ran over to the prince and bowed, his face red from the exercise. "Sorry to disturb you my prince," he said, raising from his bow, his face still flushed. "But it's about the, uh, the," The kitchen hand took a deep breath and pulled himself together under to the Princes hard gaze. He continued in a slightly lower tone.

"The prisoner, sir. She says that she . . . Er . . That is to say." The boys face was still a deep crimson and Zuko was beginning to suspect it had nothing to do with the small amount of running the boy did.

"Spit it out." Zuko muttered as Iroh came up behind him.

"She wants a bath sir." he said quickly, still blushing.

"So what?" he growled, irate at being disturbed. "Just give her some water and a bar of soap. . ." The prince trailed off, his eyes narrowing while behind him Iroh chuckled. "I hate waterbenders." he snarled, glaring at a spot about two feet above the kitchen helpers head.

Ignoring the boy he turned to his Uncle. Iroh smiled and opened his mouth to pass on a few words of advice when Zuko cut him off. "Never mind. I'll see to it myself."

The Dragon of the West smiled as Zuko turned and passed by the kitchen boy, heading down to the cells. Iroh patted the young boys head and walked slowly with him down to the galley. "So what are we having for dinner tonight young man?"

Downstairs Katara was fiddling with her bandage, trying to figure out a way to untie it and then retie it again so that it would stop bothering her. She looked up as the lock turned and the door opened. She stood up, thinking that it was the bath she asked for.

When Katara saw that it was the prince, she was slightly disappointed but gave Zuko a wane smile nonetheless and slid back down the wall. Before she could say anything Zuko walked right up to her and kneeled down, only a foot or so away from her face. "If I let you have a bath." he said, his eyes hard. "Will you swear not to try to destroy my ship or hurt my crew?"

The girl backed up from the prince, unsettled by his steely gaze. Katara noticed his change in outfit, different from the armor she usually saw him in. She nodded and then added, "Can I just say that I won't or do I have to sign in blood?"

"I'll hold you to your word," he said, quickly unlocking Katara's ankles and heading back out to order bath supplies for the girl. The prince then turned back to Katara, "I need to discuss a few things with you," he said, looking somewhat uncomfortable. "So try and hurry up."

Katara raised an eyebrow at the prince's reaction and settled down to wait for her water. She didn't have to be patient very long, two soldiers carrying a simple tub came staggering into the room.

"Thanks," she said, standing up. The soldiers where followed by the kitchen boy carrying some towels and soap. The soldiers and the boy nodded and left, one of the militia members locking the door behind him.

Katara waited until she couldn't hear their feet against the metal of the ship and then started to undress, slipping out of her tunic and under clothes. She slid into the hot water, sighing.

She took the soap and a small washcloth and began to scrub at her dirty skin, making sure to scour every inch. As Katara rubbed at her injured wrist a hiss escaped her as the soap stung her cut.

Dropping the washcloth she gritted her teeth and unwound the wrappings from the wound. She slowly ran a hand over it and gasped as the water from the tub molded around her uninjured arm and hand, making it glow.

Ignoring the sound from outside, ("I'm giving you two more minutes!") she deliberately ran a hand over her cut and watched, amazed, as the wound healed before her eyes. Raising her hand up she examined the healed skin, feeling it with her left hand. Katara shook her head in amazement and reached out for a towel, standing up.

Outside Zuko narrowed his eyes and looked at the ceiling. 'Girls'. He thought. 'Take forever.' The prince knocked lightly on the door and opened the door, his eyes on the ground.

Katara gasped as the prince entered her cell, shock and disbelief etched onto her face.

Zuko looked up, his eyes trailed over the girls legs and body, thankfully covered by a towel. His mouth dropped and his eyes widened as he met her eyes.

"GET OUT!" Katara shrieked, overcoming her original shook and sending a wave of water at the dumbstruck boy. Luckily for the prince he regained his senses quick enough to dart out into the corridor and slam shut the door, feeling the water pound uselessly against the reinforced metal frame.

The prince shook his head and tried furiously to get the girls image out of his head, along with the flush that now graced his cheeks. He leaned against the door and waited a few minutes before knocking again.

"Come in." came the curt reply. Zuko opened the door and entered the room, noticing the water back in the tub. The prince narrowed his eyes. "Excuse me for walking in on you earlier." he said tersely.

Katara nodded. Although still mad at Zuko she wasn't one to hold a grudge. She had put on her leggings, inner tunic and outer robe, but had left off her armguards and boots, it was quite warm and she didn't want to get to sweaty so soon after a shower. Her darker inner tunic tied up at the sleeve ends, although they only came down to slightly past her elbow. Katara glared at the boy and tried to tie up the laces of her tunic. 'How dare that boy walk in on me!' she thought, fuming slightly, 'Boys, I swear.'

Zuko watched, slightly amused, as Katara struggled with the ties. He shook his head and walked over to her, noting the somewhat annoyed look on the girls face.

"Here," Zuko said softly, quickly tying the threads together with a small knot. He reached for her other arm when Katara pulled away from him.

"I can do it myself, thank you." she said managing to get the string in between her teeth and tying it that way. Zuko raised an eyebrow but said nothing, instead he motioned for a few guards that had been in the corridor to come in and take away the tub and bath things. After the men had left, he turned to Katara.

"I need you to tell me everything about the avatar." he said, his eyes narrowing and his face becoming deadly serious. "Everything."

Katara, still a little mad at the boy for walking in on her, even though she had been covered, answered tartly. "Why should I tell you?" she asked turning so her back faced the prince. "The only thing that you want to know about him is how easily you can catch him."

Zuko turned her around by the shoulder and slammed her into the wall, both his hands now pinning her to the metal. "Is that a problem Katara?" he hissed. "I already asked you once," he said, his face contorted, "Now answer me!"

Katara narrowed her own eyes in response. "Fine. He's twelve, he's a boy, he has blue arrow tattoos all over his body, he can airbend, his best friend is a five ton bison -"

Zuko pushed her up against the wall again. "Besides the obvious," he snarled, his face flushing with rage. How dare this girl treat him like this!

"Be more specific," she said lightly, turning her head away from the prince's furious face.

"Fine." Zuko spat out, releasing the girl and walking away toward the door, ticking off topics on his fingers. "Bending, personality, love interest," he smirked at the water bender over his shoulder, "Anything that will be of consequence if a confrontation should take place."

Katara sat on the floor and leaned against the metal paneling, closing her eyes. "He bends air and water. I'm teaching him if you must know. Personality, nice, caring, patient, fun loving." She cracked an eye open and glared at the prince, "The exact opposite of you!" she hissed viciously.

Zuko clenched his fists, his shoulders tense. He said nothing for a few minutes, then "You know nothing about me." he whispered, his voice soft, but with a hint of steel.

"I know enough." Katara replied to the boy, her voice losing its malicious tone. She sighed. "I'm sorry." she said softly. "I, I was mad and it sort of came out." she paused and then stood up to walk in front of the boy. "I didn't mean it." she muttered, looking into Zuko's eyes. The boy frowned and turned away, averting the girls gaze

After a few minutes Katara finally decided. "Look, I said I was sorry, but I'm not going to beg." Zuko turned his head to look at Katara.

"Fine. Forgiven." He took a step toward Katara and put his hands on her shoulders. "Now will you tell me about the avatar?" a pause, then through gritted teeth. "Please?"

The girl smiled slightly. "Since you asked so nicely." she said and then continued. "I can't honestly tell you much, but a few things I do know. He catches onto things quick, so don't do a firebending move twice in five minutes, he'll probably figure out a way to avoid it." she commented. Frowning the water bender thought, noticing that Zuko's hands where still on her shoulders.

"Uhm. . . Personality, I've already told you, he's pretty much a normal kid. Except for the whole avatar thing. Oh and you chasing him constantly really bears down on him." she said, her voice a little softer.

Zuko raised an eyebrow and let his arms drop to his sides. "Alright." he said, turning to leave. He glanced behind him, looking over his prisoner. "What happened to your cut?" he asked, his eyebrows snapping together in a frown. He walked back over to the girl and raised up her wrist. The firebender rested his gaze on Katara's face. "It's completely healed."

Katara smiled again, not really caring that Zuko was holding onto her wrist. "I know. It's great huh?" she giggled at the princes confused expression. "I healed it with my waterbending. Right before you came in actually, I think I was to distracted to notice anything else." The girl blushed and looked at the ground.

Zuko released her wrist and made for the door again. "I'll come down tomorrow." he said. Taking out the keys to the door. Before closing he looked back in on the girl. "No bending, I still hold true to my past threat."

Katara slumped to the floor as the prince left. "Stupid boy." she muttered, falling to the ground. She stared at the ceiling for a few minutes then reached over into a corner and grabbed the heavy cloak Zuko had left for her a few days ago. She spread it over her like a blanket and curled up inside. "If only he wasn't Fire Nation," she muttered, "He might actually be kinda cute when he smiles." She turned over and watched the wall, lettering her mind drift to sleep.

ZaWish Costume change people! Rewind to the morning!

-----------------------

Aang snapped Appa's reigns lightly, reminding the bison to stay on course. He looked back at where Sokka was lying in Appa's saddle, staring at the sky.

"You really love her, don't you."

Sokka glanced at Aang. "She's my sister, I have to love her." he looked back at the sky. "And my younger sister, that means I have to protect her too." He suddenly sat up, angry. "If that piece of Fire Nation filth dares to lay a single finger of Katara I'll-" Sokka pantomimed strangling a person in midair.

Aang's face creased with worry. "What if we don't find them Sokka?" he asked. "What if they get caught in a storm or if they get attacked by pirates or if-"

"Hey, hey, hey." Sokka said, cutting Aang off. "We'll catch them Aang, don't worry you little tattooed head about it." Sokka nodded, patting the boys head. "I made a promise to look after her." he said, a hard expression on his face. "I plan to keep it."

Aang looked back at Sokka and shuddered. The expression on his face was one to give even a Fire Prince nightmares.

"Yip yip!" Aang said, shaking the reigns.

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Aargh! Sorry it took so long guys, I had these end of grading period tests and all this other crap to study for. But it's up now, so don't kill me ne? Alright. Vote! In character or out of character! 

Tell me what you think . . .Sokka's a little funny ne? In response to my reviewers (I love ya'll)

-Kimono - I think Zuko's a little OoC too, having a hostage on board does that to a guy.

Patience - Yay! Excellent job with Katara! Yay!

Night - Thanks, I think that this one is longer, sorry you had to wait so long.

Meems - I work hard with my grammer and junk, that's all. (Thank Ra for spell check.) Misunderstanding huh? I already done got some! (Grammar check; Overload OVERLOAD!)

Cello - Await no longer soloist!

Anywho vote and review!

Heart Bender.


	5. Effort

Well, well, well. Eight reviews huh? That's so awesome! Anywho. Check out my new ficlet, 'Jumping on the Bandwagon'. It's super-cool and super-unedited. Heh. Too many grammar mistakes in less than 1000 words for my computer to handle. This is the fifth chappie! Hope you enjoy!

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Effort

"No uncle, for the last time, I AM NOT PLAYING THE SUNGI HORN!"

"Alright, alright, just calm down." Iroh said hurriedly, waving his fan at the irritated prince. "Just come out and enjoy the night. You are always in your room."

Zuko turned to face his uncle. The prince sighed and grabbed his cloak, brushing past the old firebender on his way out.

"Fine, but I swear uncle, if you try and make me play that stupid instrument one more time I'll-"

"Deal." Iroh said swiftly, cutting off Zuko's threat. "And about that young girl in the cells, don't you think she would enjoy music night too?" he asked innocently, walking out of Zuko's quarters and shutting the door behind him. Zuko was standing a few feet in front of the general, his back turned to him.

"No." he stated flatly, fastening his cloak with a yellow brooch. "Absolutely not uncle. She is a water bender. And if you haven't noticed we are in the ocean."

Iroh chuckled and tapped his fan shut against his palm. "True, but she is an untrained water bender. And even if she did manage to escape a ship full to the brim of trained fire nation soldiers she couldn't get anywhere. Think about it Prince Zuko, if she stole a small canoe where would she go? She can't navigate and she can't waterbend to any threatening proficiency. It will be fine." The general explained slowly examining his folded fan.

"She is still my prisoner." he growled, knowing that he would eventually give in anyway.

"She may be a prisoner Prince Zuko, but she is still a person." A burst of fire issued out of Zuko's hands.

"Fine! You go get her. I'll be up on deck." Zuko stomped off in the direction of the staircases, ignoring the small chuckling coming from his uncle.

The old firebender shook his head slowly, still chuckling. "So impatient."

Down in the cells Katara was lying on her back, her knees bent and her foot moving in time to the beat of a pipa, the sound penetrating the long corridors and her cell door. She heard another noise over the stringed instrument and turned her head to see Iroh open up her cell door.

She sat up and waited, wondering what the general had to say.

"If you would like to come up to music night, young lady, I would be happy to escort you." he said bowing slightly and offering Katara his arm. "If such a pretty lady would oblige?" he asked, the complement causing a blush to rise on the waterbenders face.

She stood up and took Iroh's arm. "I'm taking Zuko doesn't like me being allowed on deck, huh?" she asked once they had risen to the top part of the ship.

Iroh walked out toward the group of soldiers, leaving Katara slightly behind. "He'll get over it. And besides," he said, turning back and smiling slightly, "fresh air is good for you."

Katara raised an eyebrow. How was he related to Zuko? She shook her head and followed Iroh, circling around the small group and sitting down a little farther back from the group of soldiers than was necessary. The girl scanned the mass of military seated around the fire. She shivered and wished she had brought the cloak Zuko had given her.

"Here, you'll catch your death of cold if you don't have an extra layer on." Katara looked up, not recognizing the voice. A handsome firebender of about nineteen stood in front of her, offering Katara a cloak. He had long black hair tied up in a traditional firebender topknot and dark brown eyes.

The girl smiled "No thanks, I'm fine. Besides you must be cold too."

"Nonsense." the firebender stated, draping the cloak around Katara's shoulders and sitting down. "Don't worry about me. This armor keeps the heat in." he said, tapping a chest plate. "In summer too, unfortunately."

Katara laughed a little.

"Forgive me, I'm being rude. My name is Ghan. I'm a lieutenant on this ship." he said offering Katara a hand.

The girl smiled at Ghan. "Nice to meet you, I'm Katara." she looked from the firebender to Zuko, then whispered into the nineteen year-olds ear. "Is he always this moody?" she asked.

"Only on music night." he whispered back, "His uncle makes him come out and he sometimes plays along with Lt. Lee. He is very talented on the sungi horn."

Katara giggled. "Seriously?" she glanced over at the prince, now glaring pointedly in another direction. "He doesn't seem to be the kind of person to get up and entertain."

Ghan smiled at the girl and then stared dreamily at the fire. "He isn't." A small pause followed. Katara stood up slowly, stretching.

"I think I'll go talk to him." she said looking at Zuko. The girl glanced at the firebender next to her. "Nice meeting you Ghan." she said, taking off his cloak and giving it back to him.

"Likewise." he said good-naturedly, watching as Katara made her way to sit next to Zuko.

Zuko glared at the girl as she sat down. "What do you want?" he asked, acting more like a little kid than a sixteen-year-old prince.

"Moody?" she asked serenely, sitting down in the kneeling position next to the prince. Her legs where tucked under her and she was playing with the folds in her robe. "Look, the only reason I came out is for the fresh air, if you're really that uncomfortable with me being here, I'll leave."

The prince looked away from the fire and at rested his gaze on the girl. "If we could both leave that would be even better." he growled under his breath and returned his gaze to the fire.

The water bender rolled her eyes. "Fine. You take me back to the cells, say you were tired or something, and then stay in your rooms the entire rest of the night." she said, looking at the prince. "Sound good?" she asked, trying to keep the annoyance out of her voice.

"It would be." Zuko muttered. "If I could actually leave." he sighed and looked back at Katara. "Uncle says double training tomorrow if I don't stay here for the duration of the night." he shook his head and frowned, his stare drawn to the fire once again.

"I'll take her."

Zuko and Katara looked up at the speaker. "That would be much appreciated Lieutenant Ghan." The prince said, looking at Katara. He watched as Katara stood up and followed the officer downstairs, the girl laughing slightly at a joke the lieutenant had made.

He frowned and looked at the ground, only to see the feet of a certain general. He looked up and saw Iroh's normally nonchalant face in a small frown. The overweight firebender shook his head and bent down to whisper in Zuko's ear.

The prince's eyes narrowed.

Downstairs, Katara had stopped Ghan outside her cell. "Here it is." she muttered walking into the small room.

Ghan walked into the cell and looked around, noticing it bare furnishings. He gaze rested on an empty plate and glass. He smiled and shook his head, coming farther into the unembellished room. "So this is where you sleep huh?" he asked.

Katara nodded, slightly uncomfortable with the way Ghan was searching the room. The lieutenant turned to the girl, a small smile on his features. "What do you say to a goodnight kiss Katara?"

The girl's eyes flashed. "No." she stated firmly, setting her feet shoulder length apart and relaxing her hands. "No" she said again. "Please go away."

Ghan smiled and shook his head. "Sorry Katara, but I always get what I want." he said, shooting a fireball at her body.

The waterbender reacted quickly, bending the water in her pouch to form a shield that dissipated the young man's attack. She formed the liquid into a whip and tried to lash the lieutenant's face. He promptly blocked her attack with an arm covered in fire. Throwing another, larger fireball at Katara he stepped closer to her, trying to hold her to the wall.

She shoved him away, the water in her hands pinning him to the metal plating. She breathed in deeply and exhaled, freezing the man to the wall by his arms and body. There was not enough water within her range to completely freeze him to the wall, although she would have liked too.

Ghan smirked. "You think that these can hold a firebender little girl?" he asked, heating up the ice and making it evaporate, leaving a small mist in the room. "Now come on Katara," he said, watching her futile efforts to gather the water back to her, amused. "One kiss and I'll be out of your way."

This time the lieutenant succeeded in pinioning Katara to the cell wall. The girl snarled and turned her head away. Both her arms where above her head, restrained by one of Ghans hands. She couldn't move her legs and she could feel the man's breath on her throat. Katara was about to scream when the weight was lifted off her, followed by a dull thud.

She looked up and saw the lieutenant slumped against the far end of the cell, blood dripping from a small cut on his forehead. The girl turned her head slowly to see the furious face of Prince Zuko, advancing on the man.

Ghan got up slowly, his hands up in a peaceful gesture. Fire seemed to be coming out of Zuko's mouth as he examined the man before him.

"Easy, milord." the lieutenant said slowly. "No harm done, I was just playing with the girl. Can't let you have all the fun." Before Zuko's eyes had time to widen in rage, Katara had already headed over to the man and slapped him. The sound was harsh and sudden, leaving both Ghan and Zuko speechless.

"How dare you!" she spat, standing above the man, who was now rubbing his cheek. "How dare you." she said again, anger flashing in her eyes. She raised her arm to slap him again, and then lowered it. Katara clenched her fist and turned around, walking over to Zuko.

"He isn't worth the effort." she muttered to herself more than to the prince, watching as the lieutenant got up and fled the cell.

The prince closed his mouth. "You're all right then?" he asked her, a little timidly after seeing her outburst.

Katara huffed and crossed her arms. "Of course I am." she muttered, not looking at the prince. "I wouldn't let myself get hurt by a jerk like him." she said, glancing at Zuko.

Zuko scratched the back of his head, slightly confused at where to go with the situation.

'Tell her that you're glad she's unhurt,' came the curt whisper from the doorway. Zuko's forehead creased as he heard the voice coming softly from outside the cell.

"No." he hissed, trying to be subtle but failing, quite miserably. Katara stifled laughter behind a hand.

'But you are! Don't deny it prince Zuko.' came the reply. 'and what are you doing paying attention to me? Pay attention to the girl!' Zuko's head snapped around to face Katara.

"I'm . . . glad . . . That you are unhurt." he said through gritted teeth. Katara raised an eyebrow and bit her tongue.

"Thank you." she said, noting how uncomfortable Zuko was with the situation. "I'm glad you where there when things go t tough."

The prince nodded. "The lieutenant will be disciplined. I cannot abide it when an officer does not carry himself with honor." Zuko clenched his fist. "I must be going. I do not wish to have to suffer through double training tomorrow."

He turned around to exit when he heard both a sigh from outside the cell and a movement behind him. He stepped back, slightly startled, as Katara appeared in front of him. She searched his face and leaned up, blushing slightly, and kissed his cheek. "Thank you." she whispered, retreating and still blushing.

Zuko nodded and sidestepped around the girl, who was now staring at the floor. He quickly closed the cell door and rounded on his uncle, curled up in silent laughter on the hinged side of the door. He glared at the old firebender, ignoring the blush on his cheeks. "That was unnecessary," Zuko hissed, walking past the man and heading down the corridor.

"But nephew," Iroh said, catching up with Zuko. "It was too good an opportunity to miss. Do not say differently, you would have stood there for a good ten minutes before deciding to leave had I not intervened."

The prince glared at the aging firebender. "Why didn't you help her?" he asked. "You could have dispatched of Ghan easier than I did."

Iroh merely smiled and continued up to the deck. "I wanted you to have the . . . Experience." he said, and then climbed up the ladder to the fire circle, Zuko not far behind.

"Besides, you need every ounce of skill you posses in order to capture the avatar." he paused and turned to Zuko. "What do you think of asking Katara to be your dueling partner?" he asked, his face serious. "It would be good for both of you. It is not often you will get to go toe to toe with a waterbender without them trying to kill you. And the girl does need to improve her skills; she could be great you know." The Dragon of the west pulled out his fan again and began wafting himself.

"I don't need a partner," Zuko hissed. "Ow!" he exclaimed as Iroh slapped him upside the head with the small fan. "What was that for?" he asked, more confused than angry.

"You where being impertinent." Iroh said smartly, turning his back on his nephew. "Do not bother me." he said, cutting off Zuko before he had the time to retaliate with a barbed comment. "I am the baritone in the quartet and we need to practice."

The prince sighed and rolled his eyes. 'Uncles' he thought, 'will get you every time'.

* * *

Aang yawned. It was the fifth night of the search and they hadn't seen a single sign of a fire nation ship. Zuko's or otherwise. He stretched and jumped back to where Sokka was sharpening his knife, Momo watching interestedly.

Sokka's eyes flicked upwards, then swiftly returned to his work.

"Hey." he muttered, tired and not feeling very talkative.

"We need to land, Sokka." Aang said timidly, gazing at the fabric that made up Appa's saddle. Momo abandoned his perch on Sokka's knee and scampered up to Aangs shoulder. "Appa's getting tired, and we need some food." Aang's stomach growled, as if to emphasize his point.

The water tribe boy nodded. "Alright, anything that has food attached to it can't be bad." he said, a hint of his old sarcasm showing through. "Anyway, Appa still has a strong hold on their ash trail right?" Sokka looked up at Aang, "Right?"

Aang chuckled nervously, "About that Sokka . . . " The avatar explained to the water tribe boy slowly, very much aware he might get a swift whack to the head for being the bearer of bad news.

"What do you mean we lost the trail two nights ago!"

"Well, it's not that hard to understand really Sokka." Aang muttered, cowed under the furious gaze of the older boy, Momo too had jumped up and dashed down Aang's back, startled by the outburst. "You see a few nights ago Appa got confused and mixed up the trail with that of a nearby village, they where having a bonfire, some festival or another and-"

"So you have no idea where we're going?" Sokka asked, sitting up straight, his fists clenched and his knuckles turning white around his knife handle. "We're flying around in the air in circles, searching for a ship that not only has my sister on it but the one person who has nothing to lose by dying?"

"Er. That's about right." Aang said nervously. "But don't worry, I've told Appa to just go toward the Fire Nation, he's bound to stop there right?"

"Yeah, in about a week!" Sokka said angrily, his teeth clenched. The boy then sighed an sat back. "Alright, alright. I'm sorry for snapping at you Aang, I'm just, . . .Annoyed."

Aang nodded, then climbed back up to Appa's head, Momo still on his shoulder. Aang then toke the reigns in hand and snapped them over Appa's neck. "Yip yip!" he cried, and the large bison swiftly descended toward a small island.

* * *

That's it! Don't expect #6 for a while though. Sorry all. I'm going away, I might work on it some. Still . . .Anyways Zuko and Katara not IC enough? Iroh just the right amount of humor? Tell me and vote/review!

-Word Bender.


	6. Finally

sobs I'm so sorry! I hic I've been neglecting this story . . .Sorry all. But don't worry, I have both this and the next chapter planned out, so they should come moderately quicker. Heh, please don't kill me! Read the chapter below first. Points down.

P.S. - Thanks so much Dracori for pointing out my mistake, politely even! I'll get right on that!

Finally

On deck stood a lone figure, small against the harsh outline of the horizon. The silhouette shivered and pulled a cloak tighter about her shoulders, protection against the abrasive spray of the sea. It was almost sunrise, and the girl looked toward the horizon, waiting for the sun to rise.

Zuko was having a hard time trying to go back to sleep. The prince tossed and turned, not making relaxing any easier for himself. He groaned and sat up, heaving his feet over the side of the bed. Glancing to his left, he grabbed his training shirt and slipped into it, morning at sea was always cold.

He stepped out of his room and made his way to the deck, his back to the figure. Zuko turned, upon recognizing the slim shape, snarled, and made his way over to the girl.

Katara glanced back when she heard the prince's footsteps. She winced as Zuko turned her fully around, rougher than necessary.

"What are you doing here?" he hissed, his face set in a deep frown. "You should be in your cell!"

Katara wrenched her arm away from the boy's grip, her own face slightly creased.

"The cell door was unlocked, I didn't get much fresh air last night and I wanted to watch the sunrise." she said, her eyes slightly narrowed. "Is that so much of a problem?" Katara asked.

Zuko glared at the girl, and then looked over her shoulder toward the horizon.

"Well if you want to watch the sun rise you had better turn around."

Katara bit her tongue and turned around. She gasped and watched, amazed, as the sun rose among oranges and pinks. It was an amazing sight to see, the entire sky turning red as the sun ascended.

"I take it you've never seen a sunrise at sea before?" Zuko asked, whispering into Katara's ear.

The girl shook her head. "Never, we always slept on land when I was traveling with Aang." she said softly.

Zuko straightened and looked out on the sea, his frown deepening. "I have seen the sunset from this ship for nearly two years. It has lost its glory in that time."

Katara's eyes widened. "Two years?" she whispered her eyes still on the rising sun. "You've been searching for the avatar for two years? How old are you?"

Zuko's eyes remained narrowed. "I'm sixteen." he said. "And yes, I have been searching for two years."

The waterbender couldn't turn away from the awesome sight, scarlets and violets mixed with all shades of purple and magenta. "I'm sorry." she whispered, still not looking at the boy behind her.

The prince narrowed his eyes even more. "I don't need your pity." he growled, his eyes flashing.

"I wasn't giving it to you. I was just saying." Katara turned around and faced the prince, her face no longer in a frown. "That it must be hard, to do what you have done."

Zuko swallowed visibly, painfully aware of how close to one another they where. "I'll live." he said.

Katara sighed and looked at the ground. "How can you stand it?" she asked. "Day after day, with only one thing to do? You need to capture Aang to give to your father, I can understand that, what I don't understand is how you don't give up."

Zuko's face became a mask. "I have almost nothing to lose." he muttered, looking above Katara at the purple sunrise.

The girl glanced up at Zuko, searching the prince's face. "Almost nothing?" she asked, her voice low.

The prince returned Katara's gaze, his face slightly confused.

"Never mind." he murmured after a few minutes. "Forget I said it." he said, turning his back on Katara to go back to his room.

"Wait!" The girl exclaimed grabbing his arm and turning him around, her face knit together. "I want to know what you meant." she said slowly, her eyes almost boring holes in Zuko's.

Zuko quickly searched her face. Suddenly he grabbed her roughly by the shoulders and pulled her to him, his mouth swiftly finding hers. Katara stiffened, her eyes wide, and then relaxed. She allowed her eyelashes to flutter closed and an arm to rise up to hold the boy who was giving her first kiss.

The prince suddenly broke the kiss and leaned down to murmur in Katara's ear. "You are already lost to me and yet I can not help holding onto you."

The firebender let go of Katara and headed below decks, toward his room, leaving a very confused girl in his wake.

A few minutes later a certain general woke up, and upon finding out that Zuko still had his teakettle, made his way to the young prince's room.

'Thud . . . Thud. . . Thud. .'

Iroh frowned and slowly opened the door of his nephew's room to see a strange sight. He shook his head at the boy and tucked his arms into the long sleeves of his robe.

"Even if you beat your head against the wall a thousand times, Prince Zuko, it will not turn out to be a drum."

Zuko stopped his self-inflicted punishment and turned slowly toward his uncle, his teeth gritted and his fists clenched.

"Uncle," he said slowly. Iroh looked around for his tea supplies and upon spotting that the kettle was still slightly steaming, beamed and made his way over to the table

"Is that ginseng?" he asked, lifting up the top to smell the tea inside.

"Uncle," Zuko repeated, stepping a little closer to Iroh. The general ignored his indignant nephew and poured himself a cup of tea, taking a sip.

"Ah, delicious," Iroh praised, his eyes closed in appreciation.

"Uncle!" Zuko shouted, smoke issuing gently from his mouth.

"What, prince Zuko?" the Dragon of the West asked, serene despite his nephews rage. The prince suddenly seemed confused, he glanced quickly around the room and his face was a deep tint of red.

"I . . I . . I-"

"Spit it out." Iroh muttered, taking another swallow of his tea.

"Dammit, I kissed her!" Zuko yelled, his eyes wide and his mouth open, panting slightly .

Iroh merely blinked, then closed his eyes, taking another sip of tea. He lowered his cup slightly and looked again at his nephew.

"Finally."

After Zuko had left, Katara had turned and stared out towards the horizon, watching the sun rise. She shook her head and put a finger up to her lips.

"That stupid boy!" she suddenly screamed, turning around and stomping her foot on the hard deck. "What was he thinking! That. . .That . . That was my first kiss, damn him!" She screamed again, a few waves coming up from over the side of the ship.

She wouldn't admit it to herself but she was kind of relived to have gotten it finally over with. It wasn't even that big of a deal, to get your first kiss. It was just getting annoying, sort of nagging her in the back of her mind that she still hadn't kissed a boy. But why did it have to be him! A kidnapper, a fire nation prince, someone who she knew would trade her for Aang in an instant! Katara's fists clenched and her jaw tenced. The waterbender then slowly relaxed, controlling her anger.

She shook her head again and took off the cloak, folding it up and laying it neatly to one side. Katara took a deep breath in order to calm herself, and began to waterbend, drawing the liquid from over the side of the ship in front of her, forming it into a suspended puddle.

She breathed again and formed the water into a whip, lashing out at the air in front of her. Satisfied, she began a combined series of moves she had taught herself. Mostly creating shields and practicing control over the water.

After Katara had been practicing for about ten minutes she heard a faint sound from behind. She turned quickly and found Iroh to be applauding her.

"That was very good." he said, smiling and walking closer to Katara, "You are self taught am I right?" he asked, his tone kind.

The girl nodded and quickly bended the water overboard, waiting to hear what the old firebender had to say.

The general smiled, "I was wondering if you would like to be my nephews sparring partner, for the day at least. He is too proud to ask you himself and I believe the experience will be good for him."

Katara bit her lip. Could she still face him even after what happened? She glanced down at her hands and then suddenly clenched them.

"I will be honored to face Zuko." she said, a small smile on her face.

Iroh smiled and replied quickly. "Thank you, I will go get him now."

The waterbender watched as the old bender made his way beneath the ship. She began to stretch, making sure she would be able to do all the moves she had learned so far. Katara barely glanced up as the two firebenders came on deck, Zuko glowering and Iroh smirking slightly.

The young adults faced each other, waiting for Iroh's signal.

"Begin." he said, stepping back to act as a referee.

Zuko bowed slightly, more inclined his head than anything else, and then settled into the ready position, his feet shoulder width apart, one foot somewhat in front of the other. Katara bowed too, and although deeper than Zuko's she still never let her eyes wander off the prince. The girl slowly eased herself into a comfortable bending position, one foot far behind the other, most of her weight on her back leg.

A few minutes past, neither of the two benders wanting to make the first move. Katara frowned. She had agreed to fight so she would give this boy a fight! She suddenly spun around, bending water from over the side of the deck in front of her and sending it crashing toward Zuko.

The prince neatly sidestepped the wave and sent three fire punches at the girl. The waterbender was just as fast as Zuko, probably faster and she reacted quickly, drawing the water she had already sent toward Zuko back at him while ducking under the fire blasts. The prince grunted as the water hit him in the back, sending him crashing forward.

Zuko fell on the palms of his hands, allowing him to get back up quickly. He got to his feet and jumped, avoiding a whip sent at him by Katara. The prince then used the jump to propel him forward, his foot drawing a fire circle in the air.

Katara gasped as the fire blast hit her in the stomach, pushing her backwards. She snarled at the prince who had rapidly advanced toward her while she was being assaulted.

They where now too close for Katara to bend anything, she blocked the first few punches from the prince, even throwing some of her own at the boy. She didn't expect the prince to sweep her legs out from under her and she landed heavily on the deck, still glaring at Zuko.

"Dead." the boy said, standing over her, one foot parallel to her chest the other on her opposite side, near her hip.

"Rematch," Katara growled.

Zuko nodded and lowered his arms, stepping away from the girl and allowing her to stand up. He was about a foot away from her and about to turn around when Katara bended an ice ball in front of her, sending it hurtling toward Zuko.

The prince snarled and tried to melt the sphere, but it was too big to completely evaporate. It hit him hard in the chest, sending him sprawling onto the deck. Suddenly the ice melted, swiftly trickling down Zuko's arms to pin him to the deck.

Zuko growled at the girl who had tricked him, struggling against the water-bonds as Katara froze them from her position five meters away. She bended a strand of water from the sea into her hand, walking over to the trapped prince.

The firebender began heating up his arms, seeing the icicle pointed at his chest.

"Dead," Katara said, standing over the boy in the same position he had her a minute ago. Zuko smirked.

"Not quite."

Before Katara had time to gasp Zuko swung his legs around, simultaneously unbalancing the waterbender and pulling his arms free of the ice. He landed with one arm steadying himself on the deck. He stood up in an instant and stepped over the girls breathless form. He settled again in a ready firebending position.

"Dead." he stated again, the infernal smirk still on his face. This time instead of being disappointed at her defeat Katara seemed almost amused, matching the princes smirk with one of her own.

Behind them came a small noise that they both ignored.

Zuko raised an eyebrow. "What's so entertaining?" he asked, breathing hard.

Katara glanced at her right hand, still holding the icicle. Zuko frowned, suspecting a trick, then looked at where her eyes were resting. He took a deep breath, reeling in his temper.

"That's cheating." he said, glaring at the girl.

Katara laughed slightly. The icicle had never fallen from her grasp and when she had been thrown to the deck; She had made sure to hold onto it. The razor sharp piece of blade-like ice now pointed directly at where Zuko's legs came together.

The noise from behind them intensified. Zuko glanced over to where his uncle was standing, although how he managed to stay upright was anyone's guess.

"Well I'm glad you two are amused." he snapped.

Katara raised an eyebrow. "So what do you value more Zuko? Your victory or your manhood?"

Zuko gritted his teeth and backed up off Katara. He quickly turned toward his nearly-hysterical uncle, his eyes blazing and smoke emerging from his mouth in short bursts. The prince shook his head and stormed below decks, more annoyed that anything else.

Katara propped herself up on her elbows, letting the icicle drip back into the ocean.

"Do you think we made him angry?"

A/N - Mwhahahaha! I'm so evil. Anywho; Do you think Katara/Zuko/Iroh is in character? Please tell me, I honestly do look at the reviews. Ack! I need feedback, all my other avatar-obsessed friends aren't honest with me!

Anyway, I hope you laughed, the next chapter should come slightly quicker. (Maybe a week I have the ideas in my head already.)

Read/review/give me feedback.

- Word Bender! -

P.S. -check out my drabble-fic, 'Annoying Avatar,' You might like it!


	7. Get In Get Away

Hello all! Sorry it took so long to finish ;; Oh well.. Sorry about the confusion with chapter one, I fixed it now. Anywho, thanks to all who reviewed and all who read the story but didn't review. --Glares-- Meanies. Oh! Do you like the new name?

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Get in;  
Get away. 

It had been three days since what Katara had come to refer to as 'The morning in which Zuko temporarily lost his mind'. She honestly didn't understand why he didn't just talk to her like she wanted to. On the second night since the incident she just gave up trying to figure the prince out.

They hadn't even had a decent conversation since then. Maybe five words exchanged. Maybe.

Katara sighed and shivered, pulling the heavy cloak up to her chin. It was nighttime on board Zuko's ship, and her cell was not exactly the warmest of places. She gritted her teeth and sat up straight, still clutching the cloth tightly about her shoulders.

She shivered again and got to her feet. The girl slowly walked over and pushed open the door of her cell. Sticking her head out into the corridor, she looked around, trying to see if any guards were on duty patrolling the hallway that held her cell. Satisfied that she wouldn't be caught, Katara stepped out of the room, closing the metal door softly behind her.

The girl raised a hand and pushed back her bangs, she had let her braid down and her hair was now held back by a loose ponytail at the base of her neck. She slowly shuffled along the corridor, looking into the rooms, hoping she wouldn't wake anyone up.

Katara was lost. The walkways of the ship where long and riddled with other corridors and rooms. She had so far opened up the kitchens, officers' mess, armory, and soldiers' quarters. The girl looked at the door in front of her. It was a little more decorated than the other metal frames, a fire nation symbol painted brightly on the door.

She took a deep breath and pushed open the door, hoping to find who she was looking for. Katara stepped inside the room, looking around slowly around the space, lit only by a few candles.

"What do you want?" Zuko groaned from his bed. He was tired and his narrowed eyes glared daggers full of annoyance at the girl who had disturbed him.

"I wa-was cold and I was won-wondering if-"

"If what?" Zuko snapped.

"If I could get a fire down in my cell."

Zuko frowned and turned over on his bed, pulling the covers up. "No. Now go back to your hold and get to sleep."

"But it's freezing!" Katara exclaimed, her fists clenched. "Why can't I just get a brazier or a lamp or something like that?"

"Because I don't feel like getting out of bed." Zuko mumbled, getting even more annoyed at the girl.

The girl exhaled loudly. "You are such a selfish little brat." she said, glaring.

Zuko looked at Katara without really turning over. "Won't you just go back down and _try _to go to sleep?" he asked, his voice sharp, penetrating the gloom.

"No." Katara said, folding her arms across her chest.

After about five minutes of feeling Katara's defiant stare at the back of his head Zuko sighed and threw back the blanket on the side of the bed closest to the girl, keeping himself covered and facing the wall. "Get in." he said simply.

Katara stood up straight from her position leaning against the frame of the door, surprised.

"What?" she asked, disbelief etched onto her face.

Zuko sighed and wiggled farther under the covers. "I don't feel like getting up and you don't feel like leaving me alone. Just get into the bed and go to sleep, you'll be warm and I won't have to listen to your complaining."

Katara blinked and looked out into the hallway, hoping she could remember the way back to her cell. She shook her head and shut the door, walking over to the side of Zuko's bed. The girl unbuckled the cloak and let it drop to the floor as she began to crawl into the bed. She glanced at Zuko and blushed, immediately turning over so her back was to his.

"Could you at least put a shirt on?" she hissed.

"No." Zuko replied. "Go to sleep."

Katara glared at a candle a few meters away from her. She didn't reply and stayed silent until her eyelashes became heavy. Still stubborn, she wouldn't let Zuko have the last word about the situation.

"I'm still cold." she muttered, almost asleep.

Zuko gritted his teeth and growled through his clenched jaw. Katara then heard him move around and gasped as a pair of strong arms began pulling her softly backwards by her waist.

"What are you doing?" she hissed as she felt her back being pressed against a hard body. Her eyes were wide and her face held a dark flush.

"Be quiet." came the curt reply. "You said you were cold so I'm doing something about it. Just don't move around very much and go to sleep quickly." Zuko whispered into her ear.

Katara stiffened up but after a few minutes relaxed, letting her self drift into sleep. One of her last thoughts as she was almost gone was that she really couldn't let Zuko have the last word. "You're really warm," she muttered, pressing closer to the blushing prince.

Zuko hesitated, his cheeks burning, before holding the girl tighter to himself. "You're warm too. . .he mumbled, falling asleep himself.

The next morning Zuko was woken up by not-so-silent-laughter. He sat up straight, removing his arms from around the girl's body. The prince glared at the soldier who immediately stopped laughing and stood at attention, saluting the younger man.

Zuko got out of bed, careful not to disturb the girl sleeping in his quarters. He grabbed a tunic and his cloak before heading out of the room, shutting the door behind him.

"What is it?" he asked the soldier, slipping the shirt over his head and tightening the cloak around his shoulders.

"Sir," the soldier said, saluting again. "Another Fire Nation ship has been spotted, the general wishes to see you on deck."

The prince nodded and began walking up toward the deck of the ship, he paused when he heard the soldier behind him cough meaningfully. He turned, slightly annoyed.

"Yes?" he asked tersely.

"Well sir." The soldier began, looking both nervous and exited. "You know that the soldiers have this bet going on about you and the girl so-"

"Bet! What are you talking about?" Zuko yelled, cutting off the man, pinning him to the wall with an arm, a fireball forming in his free hand.

"Easy sir," the enlisted man said, his hands up and an easy smile on his face, "What I meant is that some of the men have a pool going on and we want to know how it was, you know. . ." The man let his voice trail off as he saw the look on the prince's face.

"What. . . In the name of. ." Zuko's eyes widened and his mouth dropped open as he realized what the soldier was implying.

"You are all insane." The younger firebender spat, letting the man drop to the floor. He turned his back on the soldier and made his way to the deck, ignoring the flush that graced his cheeks.

The soldier sat on the ground, staring after the boy. He glanced up the ceiling and calculated quickly in his head. "So then it's been nine days. . ." He muttered. The man thought a little harder, trying to remember the man who had bet on that length of time.

"Damn that Yurit. . ." he snarled, getting up to go count his money.

Iroh was watching the horizon as the black ship got steadily bigger. He had been standing outside for only thirty minutes but he already knew all the consequences and repercussions the ship could have on his nephew's mission. He didn't turn around as the boy arrived on deck and walked by him to lean over the ships railing, scanning the sea.

The prince's eyes widened as he thought of the only other officer that would be sailing a ship this late in the year. A burst of fire issued from his mouth as he uttered one word like a curse.

"Zhou."

The general nodded solemnly. "That is how it seems Prince Zuko." he muttered, viewing the scene through lidded eyes. "I would suggest that you instruct a soldier to-"

"It's already taken care of." Zuko said, just loud enough to interrupt the old firebender.

"Oh?" Iroh raised an eyebrow and smiled. "I see. Do you know that there is a betting pool going on about that?"

"Yes." The prince growled, steam beginning to pour from his mouth, his knuckles turning white.

Iroh looked thoughtful. "Nine days. . . That means Yurit won. Oh dear, that man does seem to beat me at everything."

"Nothing happened!" Zuko yelled, fire coming out of his hands and mouth.

"Really?" Iroh asked, looking happily surprised. "Good, that means I still have a chance."

"Uncle!" The prince shouted again, although on a less dignified person it might have been called a shriek. "You were in this little gamble too?"

Iroh closed his eyes and turned from his nephew, the epitome of a dignified aristocrat. "Yes, I happened to organize it."

"Uncle!" Another would-be shriek from Zuko.

"But now is not the time to dwell on such things." Iroh coughed, looking slightly uncomfortable, "Look, Zhou is coming." He said, instantly serious again.

Zuko controlled his anger and turned to see the dark ship looming silently above them. A complex contraption of pulleys and axles descended slowly onto the deck of the prince's ship. On the platform held between the ropes stood a tall man, flanked on either side by two well-dressed soldiers, both intimidating and with a hard look on their faces.

Zuko backed up from the dais and narrowed his eyes, glaring at the commander. Iroh however bowed slightly and brought his head up, smiling faintly. "Commander Zhou." he said, ever the host that his nephew failed to be. "What brings you here? And in this season, it's not safe to be sailing at this time of year."

The man stepped off the platform and walked out onto the ship as if he owned it. He smirked a little at the younger boy.

"You know Prince Zuko. Same as you. Searching for the avatar." He smiled imperiously and ignored the boy's angry face.

"I've given up." the prince said, acting out his part well, lowering his head and adding just the right amount of indifference. "I'm returning home to beg forgiveness from my father."

Zhou smirked and clasped the younger man on his shoulder. "Good, good. I'm glad to see that you've come around." he said, ignoring, or maybe not noticing, the way Zuko's fists clenched tighter.

He glanced around the deck. "If that's all then you won't mind if I look around would you? Maybe ask a few questions." The commander said, smirking, passing by the prince to make his way below decks.

"As you wish." Zuko said through gritted teeth. Iroh, however sidled over to Zhou's side as the man began to descend, making small talk about the various rooms in ships.

The prince surveyed the burly bodyguards from beneath narrowed eyes, then swiftly turned and made his way over to the other side of the deck, staring out at the sea. He stood there for about ten minutes when his eyes snapped open from a lazy grimace.

That girl. That stupid, silly, annoyingly enticing girl. She was in his room. Asleep. Without her water skin.

He shook his head. She could take care of herself, and besides Zhou wouldn't dare touch her.

. . . Would he?

The commander was annoyed. With good reason too, for a change. He had searched this ship stern to hull but no sign of the avatar had appeared. The cells where empty, the soldiers had said that the avatar wasn't on the ship and even his spies had nothing interesting to report on the goings-on in Zuko's ship.

Well, maybe the scouts would have said a few interesting things if the commander had cared to listen past their refusal that the avatar was indeed not on the ship.

So as it turned out Zhou was extremely surprised to see a girl in Zuko's room. A very pretty girl, nonetheless. Iroh had left the commander when he was interviewing the officers and hadn't been back since. Even so, Zhou looked both directions down the corridor before stepping into Zuko's room, closing the door softly behind him.

Katara blinked, and then woke up. Her eyes instantly widened as she saw the menacing form of the commander standing at the entrance to the room. She scooted against the wall, letting the blanket fall halfway off the bed.

"What do you want?" she asked, replacing her fear with what she hoped was menace.

Zhou smirked. "Nothing much," he muttered stepping farther into the young prince's room. "Except to know why you are here, besides the obvious."

Katara blushed again as she remembered the swift explanation provided to her by Zuko. "That's all really." she muttered, her face burning with shame and indignation. Zuko would pay in blood for this humiliation.

The commander raised an eyebrow at the girl and sat down on the edge of the bed. "You know," he said, his eyes half closed. "I could treat you better than this _boy_ does. I would dress you in silks and velvet and you would have servants to tend to your every whim. What do you say? Come without a struggle and I'll see that I leave this silly exiled brat alone."

He looked at his Katara, his eyes piercing. "How old are you anyway? Fifteen, sixteen?"

"Fourteen." The waterbender growled. "Too young for you by far."

Zhou smirked and moved closer to Katara. "Tact is obviously not your forte. Listen. I'm going to tell you once, nicely, then you will come with me. Whether or not you are conscious when you do will be decided by the next few minutes." Zhou leaned forward and Katara stiffened, not wanting to hear what the commander had to say. "All I really want to hurt is Zuko's pride. You don't have to go to bed with me, just come onto my ship and stay for a few days. I'll drop you off on an inhabited island and you'll never have to see my face again, or Zuko's for that matter."

Katara's face relaxed slightly even though Zhou's face was still to close to hers for comfort. If he held true to his word if he really did just drop her off in an island. . . Aang and Sokka would probably have a better chance of finding her. She could send them a message using the Earth Nation sentinels. Could she really do that? Do something akin to betrayal to the fire prince that had taken her first kiss?

The waterbender stared off into the distance. She could, Zuko did kidnap her, after all. What was a kiss anyway? It wouldn't be that hard to agree to go with Zhou then hold him to his word. Not to mention that she was a decent bender, given half a chance.

Katara bit her lip. It was a tempting offer, but if she did go with the commander could she really just act as if nothing ever happened between her and Zuko? She could, she could, she could!

"I-"

"Get away from her!"

Zhou turned from Katara and looked at the angry prince, a small smirk plastered on his face.

"Why? This girl doesn't mean anything to you, does she? Isn't she supposed to do everything you say? That makes her no better than a slave."

The commander stood up, not noticing Katara's struggle to control her rage. Slave? She was nobodies slave, and she would teach anyone who thought so otherwise. Painfully.

Zuko too, was having trouble reigning in his temper. His normally pale face was slightly red and his fists where clenched.

"That is none of your business Zhou." he said, his eyes narrowing. "You've done your inspection, now leave."

Zhou shook his head. "You want me gone so bad, I'll go." The commander smirked, then snakelike reached toward Katara and pulled her up beside him. "But I'm taking your little slave with me."

If looks could kill Zhou would have been shark bait in less than a second. The glares sent at him by both Katara and Zuko where filled with an equal combination of rage and hate. The elder man cocked his head to one side and sneered, pushing past Zuko to leave the room, pulling Katara behind him.

The prince turned on his heel and followed them, wanting to get up to the deck before starting a fight with the firebender. He had beaten Zhou once before, he could do it again.

Once on deck, Zhou threw the girl at his two bodyguards who caught her and held her fast by her arms. She struggled but soon stopped, realizing she was no match for the strength of these men.

"Don't let her go, that's a water tribe outfit, she could be a bender."

The commander turned and faced Zuko, his gruesome sneer plastered onto his face.

"You want her back so badly, come and take her. I'm all that separates you from her. My men will let her go if you defeat me."

Zuko trembled with rage, his whole body was quivering, his fists were clenched and the scar that transformed his face creased in anger.

"Agni Kai! Right now, winner gets to keep Katara."

Zhou smirked. "Of course, I'll go and get ready. I'll even leave my men here, just to show I mean to come back."

"When the sun reaches his Zenith. Zhou!"

The commander turned, looking at Zuko plaintively. "Yes?"

"This time. I won't hold back. I will kill you." Zuko said, echoing the words he had said at the last fight between him and the commander. Zhou considered a retort but stopped himself at the expression on Zuko's face. The commander merely nodded and went back onto his ship to prepare for the fight.

Katara narrowed her eyes dangerously, glaring at the deck beneath her feet. "Crap."

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DonE! Next chapter will hopefully be up sooner than this one was. I have about six free days coming up so guess what kind of board I'll be addicted to! 

Again, read and review.

((Sorry: Zhou's a little fundy-dunky in this chapter. . .And Zuko was a little too sexy-intence in the last chapter . .I toned him down . . . . .A little.))

Longest chapter yet! Yay for Word Bender!


	8. Honor

It lives! Yes, true to my word to ML7, (to whom you owe the posting of this chapter) I have no excuse for the lateness of this chapter. Except that I'm a lazy jerkwad who deserves to be shot for the trauma I must have caused everyone. Two words. I sowwy. . . . . But you know that this stint away has gained me 28 reviews for the last chapter. . . Hmm . . .

Gets smacked for even thinking like that I'm Sorry!

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Honor.

Zuko was sitting in his room, waiting for mid-day. He had his head bowed, his hands were clasped in front of him. The frown hadn't left his face for even a second. The tension was beginning to show through his calm form, the princes jaw was clenched and his knuckles where white under his pale skin. The door opened and he looked up, still glaring.

Iroh entered the room and stood in front of his nephew, his own face creased with worry. "He is ready." the general said, watching Zuko's unmoving face. "Remember what I have taught you. I believe in you." Zuko had stood up and was walking past his uncle up the stairs, towards the fight he had asked for. The prince looked back at Iroh, at his companion in exile, his guardian, and the father he had always wanted.

The prince stood there for a second, looking impassively at Iroh. He loved his uncle more than he realized, Iroh was his guider and father, the one person who stood by him thick or thin. Zuko bowed his head and shifting, continued up the stairs. "I need to do this on my own. Please. Don't do anything." The teenage boy was at the doorway that led to the deck when he stopped again and looked back, this time turning fully around. He bowed to his uncle. "Thank you." He muttered, his eyes half-lidded. "But even if I am about to die." he paused slightly, still bent down. "I must still ask to be allowed to do this on my own." Zuko rose up and headed back up the stairs, not looking back a second time.

The old firebender smiled and bowed to the now-empty staircase. "Thank you Zuko." he muttered and then followed his nephew upstairs, somehow less worried than when he had entered the princes room.

On deck the guards that held Katara had relaxed some, assuming that since she had not struggled since the beginning of her capture, almost an hour ago, she was no threat. Katara had played her position demurely, hanging her head and half way closing her eyes, acting the reserved girl that women where expected to become. Inside, however, her mind ran through the scenario over and over, raging like a waterfall just beneath the surface.

She didn't know how this would end out. Aang was too different to be used as a bending comparison next to Zuko, and she had never seen Zhou fight, at least not all out. She looked over at Zhou, standing up with the ceremonial cloth over his shoulders waiting for Zuko to appear. She frowned slightly. This was not good.

Katara glanced up, noticing Zuko coming onto the deck, and watched the young man walk over to Zhou. A quick exchange of thinly veiled insults and they went to opposite ends of the deck. Zuko knelt down slowly, concentrating on the various tactics and bending moves he might use.

Iroh walked up behind him, watching Zhou. He opened his mouth to pass on a few words of advice to his nephew but then stopped. Iroh nodded and smiled. The elder bender made his way over to the middle of the makeshift stadium across from the soldiers holding Katara between the two combatants. He looked up at the sun then at the two firebenders.

"Begin!"

Zuko opened his eyes and stood up slowly. He turned and the maroon fabric fell off his shoulders. His right foot was in front, his left foot behind him, most of his weight on his back leg. Zhou had already moved, running forward quickly, his arms trailing behind him, fireballs forming in his hands.

A flash and the two collided, Zuko's fire-daggers blocking Zhou's close-range attacks. Zhou pushed himself forward, a snarl on his face. Zuko narrowed his eyes, his arms crossed, still defending against the growing heat from Zhou's palms. The prince leaned back and let the general fall forward. The younger bender used Zhou's strength to roll the commander onto his spine, the wind knocked out of him. Zuko too, was on his back but he recovered quickly from his maneuver, spinning around and knocking Zhou back on the deck from where he had attempted to stand up.

Zhou winced visibly, the skin on his upper abdomen an angry red from where Zuko's foot had pushed him back down onto the deck. His eyes widened as the prince sent a fire blast directly at his face. Zhou quickly ducked and swung his own leg around, repaying the attack done by Zuko.

This time it was Zuko's turn to fall to the ground. He reacted quickly and rolled out of the way of Zhou's attacks, panting on the deck a few feet away from the charred iron. Zhou too was out of breath, smoke issued from his hands. The elder of the two winced and clutched his chest.

Zuko's eyes narrowed and he spun around on the deck, fire forming in his hands for momentum. He created a large whip from his right foot and hit out at Zhou, aiming for his shoulder. Zhou quickly stepped aside and Zuko stopped his rotations, kneeling on the deck ten meters away from the general.

Zuko stood up and went back into his ready position, feet spread. Katara let out a deep breath. This wasn't exactly the most ideal situation for the young prince, and she could tell. Even though he had injured Zhou, the general had a higher stamina and the most Zuko was doing was leveling the playing field.

Zhou smirked. Zuko stepped back slightly, a little startled by the change in expression. Quickly, Zhou leapt into the air, kicking out at Zuko. The prince ducked under the kick and brought his fist into Zhou, right where his foot had connected before. Zuko forgot where Zhou's hands were and as the general landed he grabbed hold of Zuko's left shoulder, bringing his fiery palm into the tender flesh just beneath the collarbone.

Zuko gasped and gripped Zhou's wrist, trying to pull the burning hand off his shoulder. Zhou smirked and let go of Zuko, stepping back to examine the injury he had caused. Zuko sank to his knees, his left shoulder, collarbone, and forearm a massive interlacing of burns, blisters and peeling skin.

"Zuko!"

The prince looked up. He saw his uncle standing on the sidelines, his mouth in a tight line. Katara, however, had resumed struggling against the guards, fighting to get towards Zuko.

"Let me go! Look at that wound! Let me go!" the girl screamed, wrestling against the burly men. Her eyes flashed, and she streamed water over the edge of the boat, knocking a guard back with a water whip and the other with a wave that flowed over the side of the ship. She ran over to Zuko, still kneeling on the deck.

"Here," she muttered, issuing water over her hands, making them glow.

Zhou had stepped back from the pair, smirking. He knew that he had won. Even Zuko would not continue fighting with a wound like that, if the prince continued the Agni Kai he would risk damaging the nerve endings further, possibly resulting in paralysis. The general turned, heading back to his ship.

Zuko's eyes narrowed, he pushed Katara's hands away from his injured shoulder and stood up. Katara's eyes were wide. "What are you doing?" she hissed, standing up and talking into the princes ear. "You can't seriously think that you can firebend with that injury."

"I can." the prince said, watching Zhou's retreating back. "And I will."

Iroh had come over to his nephew. "This has gone on long enough."

Zuko narrowed his eyes and stepped out of the range of either his uncle or Katara. "It has not."

Zhou turned and looked at Zuko. He smirked and then shifted again, walking purposefully back towards his ship, his back to the prince, the arrogant voice taunting Zuko. "You are beaten. Don't make me kill you."

A fireball flew past Zhou's left ear, singing his hair. The general turned around, the smirk replaced by a snarl. "Do you want to die boy?" he asked, growling.

"I want your respect." Zuko said, his eyes narrowed. Katara shook with rage and Iroh stepped back as the guards recovered themselves and dragged her back to the railing.

"I'll never forgive you if you die Zuko! Not ever!" Katara screamed, struggling to get away from the guards, her eyes on the injured prince. "I swear if you die I'll never forgive you!"

Zuko wasn't paying attention to Katara anymore. All his rage, his hatred, his agony, focused onto Zhou. "I want your respect commander. That's all I have ever wanted! I will prove I'm not the spoiled prince you think you know! I am a man who deserves your respect! And I will earn that respect, one way or another!"

Zhou shook his head slightly, a confused expression on his face. He didn't understand why Zuko would care so much. The prince never had in the past, but now it seemed like Zuko was giving an explanation for his rivalry with him.

"Why are you so concerned with whether or not I respect you, my prince?" Zhou asked, emphasizing the title of royalty with an undertone that made Zuko flinch.

"If I cannot even gain your respect, how will I convince my father that I am worthy of my honor? If I cannot prove to you that I am honorable, I cannot expect to be able to tell my father that I should be able to regain my position. This is not about you and I anymore! This is about my country, my honor, my throne and my father! I will not let you stand in my way!"

Zhou snarled and stepped forward, Zuko clenched his fists and glared evenly at the advancing commander. He didn't care anymore. If he died fighting he would die trying to win the respect of a formidable opponent. Zhou came up to Zuko, standing a few feet away from the younger bender.

Zhou looked at Zuko calmly, regaining his temper and thinking about what to say. It wouldn't be fair to start the fight over, not with Zuko so injured. Zhou sighed and bowed slightly, more inclining his head downwards than anything else.

The prince frowned and stepped back slightly. Zhou rose from his position of humility and looked at Zuko, his eyes hard. Then he turned and walked back to his ship, nodding at the guards to release Katara. They did and followed Zhou while Katara ran over to Zuko, still concerned with the possible paralytic injury.

Zhou boarded the ship, the platform cranking up to raise him up to the deck. The commander turned to look at Zuko before receding from sight. Zuko nodded and turned away to go to his cabins, but was blocked by Katara.

"Where do you think you're going with that wound?" she asked, her face in a frown.

"My room. The healers will see to me." Zuko said, sidestepping the girl and going down into the innards of the ship. Katara stood out on deck and after watching Zuko leave, turned and looked out towards Zhous' ship, already disappearing on the horizon.

Iroh shook his head and smiled wryly, he looked around and saw that the Agni Kai had gathered a fair few viewers. The general flapped his hands at them. "You all saw what happened! Now go back to your regular duties, the Prince will need rest for that injury to heal!"

Slowly the crowd dispersed, leaving Iroh and Katara on deck alone, save for the cleaning boy scrubbing the ash marks off the deck. The girl turned to Iroh and shook her head. "Are all Fire Nation men so weird?" she asked.

Iroh laughed. "No, with power comes insanity. But come, let us see to Zuko. I fear he may be injured more than we think." the general said, ushering Katara down to Zuko's chamber, where already a throng of soldiers had gathered. The military men moved aside to admit both Katara and Iroh.

Zuko was sitting up on his bed, a healer cleaning the burn with cold, clean water. Katara stepped up to the healers side. "May I help?" she asked, not looking at the prince who was giving her a glare fit to kill. The healer nodded and moved aside, reaching for the clean dressings he had set out. Kneeling, the girl bent the water out of her pouch and pooled it in front of her.

Katara frowned. She didn't want to risk using her newfound healing power unless she knew the full extent of the injury, and her healing limits. She bit her lips and slowly streamed water over the burn and winced as she heard the sizzling of the burned flesh cool down under the cold liquid.

Zuko had his head turned away from the waterbender, gritting his teeth. The healer reached over and took over from Katara, dressing the wound neatly. The healer stood up after tying all the bandages together so that they wouldn't fall apart. Looking at Zuko the healer stood and tucked the rest of his supplies into a bag, leaving Katara, Zuko and Iroh in the room.

Slowly, the men outside left, Iroh walking along with them.

Katara was still sitting next Zuko's knee, her legs tucked under her. The prince had his fists clenched on his lap, his left hand loose on his thigh.

"Why don't you just give up?" Katara whispered, staring at her own lap.

"Why don't you give up on me?"

Katara looked up at Zuko, her eyes narrowed. The prince was still looking away from the girl, staring at a small fine nation pattern that bordered his walls.

"What makes you think I ever believed in you?"

Zuko shook his head, smiling slightly. Katara was taken aback. Zuko actually smiling? The injury must be a lot worse than she first assumed and Katara's first coherent thought was to check to see if the burn had begun to bleed.

"You said you wouldn't forgive me if I died. I didn't die, so it implies that you have forgiven me of something that you had given up on. I don't know exactly what," the prince shrugged and then winced visibly, his right hand flying to his shoulder but not touching the bandages, instead lingering over burnt area, his hand hovering over his arm. "But that doesn't really matter, does it?" Zuko said, lowering his hand back onto his thigh.

Katara sighed and narrowed her eyes, annoyed and confused.

_Damn him._

Standing up, she brushed off the front of her tunic and stepped away from the prince, who had shifted his attention from the wall to her. Katara was about to leave without a backwards glance when Zuko stood up as well, although his legs where weakened by pain and fatigue. She stopped as he stepped forward, closer towards her.

Katara's eyes narrowed as he came closer and closer, his legs unsteady as the prince stepped towards the girl. Zuko was directly in front of her, his eyes unreadable, a small blush forming on Katara's cheeks. He bent down slowly, giving her time to leave, to run away from him and his implied forgiveness, to run away from the offense that had to come before his forgiveness.

She didn't back down. Maybe she should have. She probably should have. That's what she thought later that night, curled under the blanket in her dark, cold cell that didn't seem so cold anymore, her lips still burning from that single, simple kiss.

* * *

Fin! And I end the chapter with fluff! Yay for fluff! Anywho's, you know the drill, read, freview, re-read, maybe log onto a different account and review some more. . .

The next chapter will be up a hell of a lot sooner than this one was. School is now out! Or it will be in a week, so I'll have free time galore. Hopefully. ;;

Word Bender! Away!


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